Dishwashing machine



6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 21, 1962 May 26, 1964 F. W. BLANCHARDDISHWASHING MACHINE Filed May 21, 1962 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 6 Sheets-Sheet 3Filed May 21, 1962 May 26, 1964 Filed May 21, 1962 F. W. BLANCHARDDISHWASHING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 y 25, 1954 F. w. BLANCHARD3,134,487

DISHWASHING MACHINE May 26, 1964 F. w. BLANCHARD DISHWASHING MACHINE 6Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed May 21, 1962 United States Patent 3,134,487DISHWASHWG MACFINE Frederick W. Blanchard, Lachiue, Quebec, Canada,

assignor to F. W. Blanchard Inc, Montreal, Quebee, Canada, a corporationof Canada Filed May 21, 1962, Ser. No. 1%,142 1i Claims. (Cl. 211-78)The invention relates to a dishwashing machine, and more particularly tothe mounting and construction of the means for holding the tableware tobe washed.

An object of the invention is the provision of a generally improved andmore satisfactory dishwashing machine.

Another object is the provision of tableware holding means so designedand constructed as to be rotatable with great ease and with littlefrictional resistance, thus being particularly adaptable and useful in adishwashing machine of the type where rotation is accomplished merely bythe force of jets or sprays of water, without the need for a motor.

Still another object is the provision of improved means for holdingplates and similar dishes in a proper upstanding position, adequatelyspaced from each other and properly placed to receive a maximum ofefficient washing as a result of impingement of water sprays thereon.

A further object is the provision of improved means for holding cups andthe like in washing position, the holding means being so designed thatthe cups are held effectively against accidental displacement by theforce of water jets or sprays impinging upon them.

These and other desirable objects may be attained in the mannerdisclosed as an illustrative embodiment of the invention in thefollowing description and in the accompanying drawings forming a parthereof, in which:

FIG. 1 is a vertical section taken approximately centrally through adishwashing machine according to the present invention, showing thegeneral arrangement thereof;

FIG. 2 is a vertical section through the pivot and pivot tube,illustrating details;

FIG. 3 is a plan of approximately half of a plate and tumbler holdingbasket constructed according to a preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a vertical section taken approximately on the line 44 of FIG.3;

FIG. 5 is a plan of a cup holder constructed in accordance with apreferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 6 is a vertical section taken approximately on the line 6-6 of FIG.5; and

FIG. 7 is a schematic vertical section approximately diametricallythrough the machine, with parts broken away and parts omitted, butshowing typical plates, cups, and other tableware in place in theholding means.

The present invention is a continuation in part of my United Statespatent application Serial No. 167,496, filed January 22, 1962. The priorapplication discloses and claims particularly the water jet or waterspray arrangement of the machine, and the details of the cover of themachine. The present application discloses in greater detail, and alsoclaims, the basket means for holding the tableware (plates, cups,tumblers, silverware, v etc.) in washing position, and the means formounting the holding basket for easy rotation.

Referring first to FIG. 1, to give merely a general outline of themachine as a whole (the reader being referred to the above mentionedprior application 167,496 for a more detailed description) the machinecomprises, in general, the main casing or tub having side Walls 11 ofapproximately cylindrical form, and a bot-tom 13' which is approximatelyflat but slopes slightly toward the center train or discharge conduit15, the opening of which 3,134,487 Patented May 26, 1964 ice is coveredby a screen 17. A terminal flange 23 at the top of the casing extendsradially outwardly so as to rest upon and be supported by any desiredsupporting structure -25, such as a counter top or a shelf. Near the topof the casing is a horizontal supporting flange 19 on which the loweredge of a cover 31 rests, the cover having a central depression 33containing a knob 35 which serves as a handle for lifting the cover whenthe machine is to be loaded or unloaded.

In a typical installation intended for domestic use, the casing or tub11 may have an internal diameter of about ,18 or 19 inches, and a depthof about 13 inches, but these dimensions are given merely by way ofexample rather than by way of limitation.

Centrally located at the bottom of the tub is a. casting 51 whichbridges over the central drain opening in a direction at right angles tothe plane of the paper in FIG. 1, but in the direction of the plane ofthe paper in FIG. 2, which is taken at right angles to the plane ofFIG. 1. This casting 51 is firmly secured at its two ends to the bottomwall 13 of the tub, as for example by bolts 52. Fixed to and supportedby this casting 51 is the vertical pivot 53 having at its upper end adepression or recess for receiving and retaining the hardened steel ball55 which serves as a bearing for the lower end of a hardened steelthrust bearing 57, the upper end of which is enlarged at 59 andthreaded, brazed, welded, or otherwise firmly secured to the upper endof a basket supporting tube 61 which extends down the length of thepivot rod 53 almost to the bottom thereof, and which is slightly spacedlaterally from the rod. Bearing sleeves 63 and 65 of low frictionmaterial such as oil impregnated bushings, are located in a floatingmanner near the top and bottom, respectively, of the tube 61. That is,bearing sleeves 63 and 65 are not fastened rigidly to tube 6-1 and serveto bear lightly on the pivot rod 53 and to keep the remainder of thetube 61 spaced from the pivot rod. Below the lower bearing sleeve 65,and to retain bearing sleeve 65 in tube '61, there is a bushing 66tightly mounted in the tube 61 and almost but not quite touching thepivot rod 53. This bushing has such internal diameter that it providesclearance with the rod 53.

Welded, soldered, brazed, or otherwise suitably secured around thebottom end of the tube 61 is a collar 67 having an outwardly turnedbottom flange 69. Welded or otherwise suitably secured to the uppersurface of this bottom flange 69 are the inner ends of the approximatelyradial rods 71 having the shapes best shown in FIGS. 1, 4, and 7, theouter ends of the rods being bent to extend substantially verticallyupwardly as at 73 and being secured at their upper ends, by welding orthe like, to a circular ring 75 which ties the outer ends of all ofthese rods 71 together, as will be understood from FIG. 3. It will benoted from FIGS. 1, 4, and 7 that the rods 71 extend horizontallyoutwardly from the flange 69 for some distance, and then are offsetupwardly as at 72, then extend horizontally outwardly again at 74, andthen obliquely or angularly upwardly for a short distance at 76 beforereaching the vertical portion 73 previously mentioned.

Preferably there are eight of these rods 71, 73 equally spaced angularlyfrom each other so that each of these rods is at 45 degrees from thenext such rod, as will be seen from FIG. 3. The eight rods constitutefour pairs of rods, each pair consisting of what may be called alefthand rod or arm designated at L in FIG. 3, and a righthand rod orarm designated at R in FIG. 3.

The horizontal portions 74 of all of these rods, both right-hand andleft-hand, carry upstanding separators forming slots for maintainingplates in a suitable upstanding position to be washed. On each rod orarm, there are four such separators which may be collectively referredto by the numeral 77, but which may be individually referred to by thedesignations 77a, 77b, 77c, and 77d, respectively. Each separator, asseen to best advantage in FIG. 4, is made 'of a single rod or stilfwire, welded or soldered at one end to the horizontal portion 74 of oneof the radial rods or arms, then rising vertically therefrom to anenlarged loop 78a or 78b or 78c or 78d at the top of the respectiveseparator 77a or 77 b or 770 or 77d, then extending downwardly againright next to or tight against the vertically ascending portion until itnearly reaches the horizontal arm portion 74, then extending obliquelyangularly (except in the caseof the separator 77 c) at 79a, 79b, and 79drespectively, toward the next adjacent separator, this oblique end ofthe separator also being welded or soldered or otherwise suitablysecured to the radial arm portion 7 4;

It is seen from FIG. 4 that the two outermost separators 77a and 77b areof the same height, the tops thereof being substantially at the sameelevation as the ring 75. The other two separators 77c and 77d aresomewhat shorter, and can conveniently both be of the same height,although this is not necessarily the case.

The separators on the right-hand and left hand arms or rods constitutingeach pair are the same, except that the separators are preferablysecured to that side of the radial arm which faces toward the otherradial arm of the same pair. Thus the separators on a left-hand arm aresecured to the right-hand side of such arm, while the separators on aright-hand arm are secured to the left side of such arm, all as canplainly beseen from FIG. 3. The plates and similar articles to be washedare placed in an upstanding position in the slots formed by theseparators of each pair of arms. Thus plates of'the largest size (e.g.,dinner plates as shown at 80a in 'FIG. 7) are intended to be placed inthe outermost slot formed betweenthe vertical portion 73 of the arm 71and the first separator 77a mounted on this arm, one edge of the platebeing placed in such slot'on the left-hand arm of a pair of arms, andthe opposite edge of the plate being placed in the corresponding slot onthe right-hand arm of the same pair of arms. The lower edge of the plate(in this upstanding position) will, of course, curve downwardlybelow thelevel of the supporting arms 74. The next smaller size of plate (e.g.,luncheon plates) as shown, for example, at 80b in FIG. 7, will be placedon the next inner'slots of the two arms of the pair; that'is, the slotsformed between the separators 77a and 77b. The next smaller size ofplates (e.g., bread and butter plates as shown for example at 800 inFIG. 7) will be placed in the next slot formed between the separators77b and 770 of the two arms of the pair, and the smallest size of plates(e.g., saucers for teacups) will be placed; in the innermost slot formedbetween the separators 77c and 77d. It is obvious that successivelysmaller plates will be positioned on the two arms of the pair inpositions where the arms are successively closer to each other, so thatthe platesv of smallersize will not drop down too far between the arms.

In this connection it is important to note the preferred angulararrangement of the angular parts 79a, 79b, and 79d of the separators. Itis to be noted that the sloping part 76 of the arm as well as thesloping parts 79a and 79b of the separators all slope obliquelydownwardly and inwardly toward the center of the machine, so that anyplates placed in these particular slots will have their lower edgescrowded inwardly toward the center,'while the enlarged loops 78a, 78b,and 780 contacting with the plates at a higher elevation will preventthe upper parts of the plates from tilting too far inwardly toward thecenter and will hold the outermost three plates'in approximatelyvertical positions. However, the action of the innermost slot, betweenthe separators77c and 77d is,

difierent, because here the sloping part 79d slopes obliquely downwardlyand outwardly away from the center, rather than toward the center. Theresult is that any plate placed in this innermost slot will have itslower edge being welded or otherwise suitably securedto the ring thesame as that of the ring 75, thence downwardly againcrowded outwardlyaway from the upright position but will have its upper edge tilted moreinwardly toward the center, as shown at d in FIG. 7. It is found byextensive tests and studies that this arrangement of the plates, tiltingthem in this way, gives the best washing action and more satisfactoryoperation than if all of the plates were held at equally upstandingangles, parallel to each other.

Between successive plate-holding pairs of arms 71, there are otherradially extending rods or arms 81, the outer ends of which are bentupwardly and extend approximately vertically as at 83, the upper endsof'theportions83 75. At the radially innermost end of each rod 81, it isbent upwardly at a corner a, thence extends upwardly at 85c at a slightoutward inclination as shown, thence extends horizontally at 85d at anelevation approximately at a slight outward inclination as shown at 85e,terminating in a lower end 85 which is welded or otherwise suitablysecured to the horizontal portion 81 of the rod. The

corner 85a of this structure is welded or otherwise suit-. ably securedto a ring 87 concentric with the axis of rota-.

tion, which ring 87 overlies and is secured to and supported by the arms71.

These structures 81, 83, 85 are, as above stated, in vertical radialplanes spaced mid-way between successive pairs of plate-holding arms 71.In other words, as best.

seen in FIG. 3, these structures 81, 83, etc., lie mid-way between aleft-hand arm of one pair of arms 71 and a right-hand arm of the nextadjacent pair of arms in a clockwise direction. Since the arms 71 are atan angular spacing of 45 degrees from each other, and-since thestructures 81, 83, 85 are mid-way between certain of the arms 71, itfollows that these structures 81, 83, 85 will be at 22 /2 degrees fromthe adjacent arms 71 on either side thereof. The parts 85c, 85d, and 85econstitute tumblerv holders, and are of the proper size and proportionsso that a typical tumbler of average size can be turned upside down andplaced in an inverted position on the parts 85c,

to assist in preventing a dish from moving radially during the washingcycle; For example, a vegetable dish can be placed with its rim caughtbetween the abutment portion 81a and the vertical portion 83, and thebody of the dish can be tilted inwardly to rest on the corner betweenthe parts 85d and 85e of the tumbler holder, assuming that no tumbler isplaced on this particular holder. If a tumbler is placed on the tumblerholder, a dish may still rest on the tumbler and be washed with equalfacility.

Located centrally in the basket, concentrically around the tube 61, is agenerally cylindrical holder 91 for flatware or silverware, a typicalexample thereof being indicated schematically by broken lines 92 in FIG.7. The

holder 91 has inturned flanges 91a at its' bottom, which flanges rest onand are supported by the arms 71. Resting in turn on the flanges 91a isa screen 93 of rather.

in a suitable inverted position while being washed. It

center, by the sloping part 79d, and thus the plate will not be held .insuch an is contemplated that the cup holder will occupy a definiteangular position relative to the basket, so that the water jets willstrike the teacups in a proper manner. The cup holder structure, bestseen in FIGS. and 6, comprises a hollow or tubular hub in the form of asleeve 101, the bottom of which rests on pins or lugs 103 projectinglaterally from opposite sides of the tube 61. The bottom edge of the hubsleeve 191 has angular notches 195, preterably four in number, evenlyspaced at 90 degrees from each other. Any two opposite notches may beengaged with the lugs 103, simply by sliding the sleeve 101 downwardlyover the tube 61 until it rests on the projections 1%, the notches 105serving as coupling means or driving means to transmit the rotation ofthe tube 61 to the sleeve 101 so that the sleeve and all parts carriedby it will rotate with the tube 61 and the basket which is fixed to thebottom part of the tube. It will be realized that the notches 105 serveto locate the cup holder structure relative to the basket so that properangular position will be maintained.

Welded or otherwise suitably secured to the sleeve 1131 are two sets ofradial wires or rods 137 and 199. There are four of the rods 1137extending radially at 90 degrees to each other when viewed in plan as inFIG. 5, and there are four of the other rods or wires 109 evenly spacedbetween the rods 107, so that the rods 18? are at 90 degrees to eachother and at 45 degrees to the adjacent rods 107, when viewed in plan asin FIG. 5. The outer ends of both sets of rods 197 and 109 are welded orotherwise suitably secured to a circumferential ring 111. As a matter ofmanufacturing convenience, it has been found preferable to weld orotherwise attach the rods to an inner ring denoted as 112, and thenattach ring 112.

to sleeve 101.

The first set of rods or arms 107 constitute the cup supporting rods,while the second set 169 serve to separate cups laterally from eachother and also to anchor the cups in place on the rods 107, as furtherexplained below.

The supporting rods 107, in a direction extending outwardly from the hub101, first extend in a downwardly inclined direction as shown at 107a,to a low point 1117c, where there is a gentle curve rather than a sharpangle (so as not to grip too tightly on the edge of a cup) and thenextend approximately vertically upwardly as shown at 107d to the point11372, thence extending radially outwardly and approximatelyhorizontally through the portion 107 f to the previous mentionedperipheral or circumferential ring 111 to which the outer ends of all ofthe rods 1197 are attached.

The other set of rods 109 extend initially from the hub outwardly in anupwardly inclined direction as at 1119a to a high point M90, thenceinclined downwardly as at 109d to the circumferential ring 111.

These parts shaped in this way provide a particularly satisfactory andeffective cup holder for holding a maximum of four cups. The cups areplaced in inverted position and slightly inclined, as shown for exampleby the broken or dotted outlines 113 in FIGS. 5, 6, and 7. One edge ofthe cup rests on the rod 107 in the notch at the curve 1970 between theportions 1137a and 167d. At two other points the rim of the cup rests onthe circumferential ring 111, at points of contact such as thoseindicated schematically in FIG. 5 at 113:: and 1130. side walls of thecup are close to the arms 109, which serve to separate the cup fromadjacent cups on adjacent arms 1137. These arms 1199 also serve toanchor the cups in place against possible accidental displacement by theupward lifting force of a water jet impinging upwardly on them. Theparticular shapes of the arms 167 and 199 as illustrated in the drawingsand described above have been worked out after much study andexperimentation and test, and it is found that with these particularshapes, a force tending to lift the outer edge of the cup upwardly willcause the cup to tilt or pivot slightly about the point The 1070 as apivotal axis, thereby swinging the side of the cup inwardly toward thecenter of the structure until the sides of the cup make contact with theportions 109a of the arms 169, at contact points such as those indicatedschematically at 113e and 113 in FIGS. 5 and 6. These pressure pointsare high enough up the sides of the cup so that, with a typical cupofaverage size and shape, the pressure points will occur on the side ofthe cup where it curves inwardly and is of reduced diameter. Thus thearms 169 produce a downward component of force on the cup when .a jet ofwater tends to lift the outer edge of the cup upwardly, and there is alocking action which holds the cup in place with great security.

All of the structural parts connected to or supported from the rotatingtube 61 may collectively be called the load basket or load carrier, andall of the tableware such as plates, tumblers, cups, silverware, etc.,placed in or on the load carrier may collectively be called the load.

Near the bottom of the tub 11, at an elevation slightly below the bottomof the load basket, is a spray tube 121 extending approximately radiallyinto the machine, the inner end of the tube being held at or close tothe center ofrthe machine by a suitable socket 122 in the casting 51.The inner end of the tube is closed as by means of a plug 123. The tubepasses approximately radially outwardly through the side wall 11 of thecasing or tub, through a water tight collar indicated in general at 125.The outer end of the tube is connected in any suitable way to anysuitable supply of hot water. The connection to the water supply may bethrough a known form of timing cycle mechanism, or through a manuallycontrolled valve, whereby the householder turns on the water supply tothe dishwashing machine whenever desired, and leaves it on for suchlength of time as experience indicates is necessary for the properwashing of the load.

The spray tube 121 contains various orifices through which the water mayissue to provide sprays or jets preferably of a plurality of differentkinds at various predetermined directions, as more fully explained insaid copending patent application, Serial No. 167,496. Since the waterjet or spray arrangement is fully disclosed and is claimed in saidcopending patent application, and since the exact arrangement of thejets is not important for purposes of the subject matter claimed in thispresent application which relates particularly to the construction ofthe load basket or carrier, the detailed disclosure of the water jets isnot repeated in this present application. It is sufficient for presentpurposes to say that the water jets do issue from the spray tube 121 invarious definitely predetermined directions, upwardly in general, butcertain ones of the jets are inclined obliquely upwardly and forwardly,others are inclined obliquely upwardly and rearwardly or reversely, thenet effect of the various jets being that the water not only impingesupon various surfaces of the articles making up the load, so as to washsuch articles, but also provides the necessary propulsion for rotatingthe load basket and contents, without any need for a separate motor.

Typical jets are indicated schematically in FIG. 7 by the numerals 11 toJ 12, inclusive. In FIG. 7, these jets all appear to be vertical, butthis is because they are viewed from a direction at right angles to thespray tube 121. If they were viewed from a direction axially of the tube121, it would be seen that various jets are'inclined at variouspredetermined angles, as fully disclosed in said copending patentapplication. The jets indicated at J1 through 112 in FIG. 7 issue fromorifices which are hidden from view on the far side of the tube 121.There are other jets which issue from other orifices on the near side ofthe tube, typical orifices on this side of the tube being shown at 133in FIG. 7, but the jets issuing from these are not indicated in FIG. 7,in order not to complicate the drawing unduly. As explained in thecopending patent application, the water jets are so planned and designedas to accomplish definite predetermined functions with respect to theload which is' to be washed, rather than to be merely haphazard sprayswithout specific direction or control. For example, it will be observedfrom FIG. 7 that jets I 8 through J11 tend to project upwardly toimpinge in and on the cups 113 in the cup holder; jet I12 comes upthrough the screen bottom of the silverware or tableware holder so as toclean the silverware therein; and jets J1 through I 7 impinge at variousangles upon the various plates or dishes placed between the separators77 and the tumblers placed on the tumbler holders.

As stated in the copending application, the water jets are preferablydesigned to rotate the load'basket or carrier at a rate in theneighborhood of about 50 revolutions per minute. For such a machine,powered entirely by the water jets and without any other motor, and forholding a load of relatively small size such as not more than fourplates or dishes of anyone size and style, the load carrier or basketaccording to the present invention as herein disclosed is particularlyeflicient, satisfactory, and simple both in construction and cost and inresults achieved in cleaning the articles to be cleaned.

Preferably the various arms, rods, or wires of the main basket itself aswell as the supplementary cup holder, are provided with a covering orcoating of resilient plastic material or rubber-like material, for twoprincipal purposes: to protect such members from corrosion and to make asofter contact with the load than would be the case with bare metal,thus avoiding any possibility of chipping the edges of the tableware.

It is seen fiom the foregoing disclosure that the above mentionedobjects of the invention are well fulfilled. It is to be understood thatthe foregoing disclosure is given by way of illustrative example only,rather than by way of limitation, and that without departing from theinvention, the details may be varied within the scope of the appendedclaims.

What is claimed is:

1.' A rack for a dishwashing machine comprising a supporting membermounted for rotation about a vertical axis, arms extending approximatelyradially outwardly from said supporting member, and a plurality ofupstanding separator members on certain of said radial arms to provide aplurality of plate-receiving slots for holding plates in uprightposition in said slots, and inclined means at the lower ends of certainof said slots tending to urge the lower edges of upstanding plates insuch slots radially inwardly toward said axis of rotation.

2. A rack for a dishwashing machine comprising a supporting membermounted for rotation about a vertical axis, eight arms substantiallyevenly spaced at 45 degrees from each other and extending radiallyoutwardly from said supporting member and having their outer endsextending upwardly, a circumferential ring member concentric with saidaxis of rotation and connected to the upper outer ends of all of saideight arms, and a plurality of separator members fixed to and extendingupwardly from each ofsaid arms, said separator members forming slots soplaced that a plate to be washed may be held in an upstanding positionpartly within a slot between two adjacent separator members on one armand partly Within a corresponding slot between separator members on anand an upstanding tumbler holder on each of said supplementary arms,each tumbler holder being shaped to extend upwardly into a tumblerplaced in inverted position over the tumbler holder, to hold suchtumbler in an inverted position to be washed.

'3. A rack for a dishwashing machine comprising a supporting membermounted for rotation about a vertical axis, eight arms substantiallyevenly spaced at 45 degrees from each other and extending radiallyoutwardly from said supporting member and having their outer endsextending upwardly, a circumferential ring member concentrie with saidaxis of rotation and connected to the upper outer ends of all of saideight arms, and a plurality of separator members fixed to and extendingupwardly from each of said arms, said separator members forming slots soplaced that a plate to be washed may be held in an upstanding positionpartly within a slot between two adjacent separator members on one armand partly within a corresponding slot between separator members on anadjacent arm, successive slots in a direction radially outwardly fromthe axis of rotation being adapted to receive plates of successivelylarger sizes, the innermost slot formed by said separator members havinga bottom sloping downwardly and radially outwardly, to tend to move thelower edge of a saucer placed in such slot outwardly so that the upperedge thereof may tilt inwardly toward the axis of rotation.

4. A rack for a dishwashing machine comprising a supporting membermounted for rotation about a vertical axis, eight arms substantiallyevenly spaced at 45 degrees from each other and extending radiallyoutwardly from said supporting member and having their outer endsextending upwardly, a circumferential ring member concentrio with saidaxis of rotation and connected to the upper outer ends of all of saideight arms, and a plurality of separator members fixed to and extendingupwardly from each of said arms, said separator members forming slots soplaced that a plate to be washed may be held in an upstanding positionpartly within a slot between two adjacent separator members on one armand partly within a corresponding slot between separator members on anadjacent arm, successive slots in a direction radially outwardly fromthe axis of rotation being adapted to receive plates of successivelylarger sizes, the innermost slot formed by said separator members havinga bottom sloping downwardly and radially outwardly, to tend to move thelower edge of a saucer placed in such slot outwardly so that the upperedge thereof may tilt inwardly toward the axis of rotation, and theother slots formed by said separator members having bottoms slopingdownwardly and radially inwardly toward the center of rotation, to tendto move the lower edges of plates placed in such slots inwardly towardthe center of rotation.

5. A rack assembly for a dishwashing machine comprising means forming avertical pivot, and a tableware carrying structure mounted for rotationon said pivot, said structure including a lower basket for holdingplates, tumblers, and flatware and an upper basket for holding cups,said lower basket having a series of arms approximately radiating withrespect to said pivot, certain adjacent arms having upstanding separatormembers forming slots adapted to hold plates'in upstanding position witha portion of each plate in a slot formed by the separator members on onearm and another portion of the same plate in a slot formed by theseparator 1116111:

bers on an adjacent arm, others of said arms having upstanding tumblerholders on which tumblers may be impaled in an inverted position, saidupper basket having a plurality of approximately radial arms formed toprovide downwardly tapering acute notches near the inner ends of sucharms for receiving certain portions of the rims of inverted cups, acircumferential ring fixed to the outer ends of all of such arms tosupport other portions of the rims of such inverted cups, and other armsspaced between said notch forming arms for contacting with the outersurfaces of the side walls of the inverted cups.

6. A rack assembly for a dishwashing machine comprising means forming avertical pivot, and a tableware carrying structure mounted for rotationon said pivot, said structure including a lower basket for holdingplates, tumblers, and flatware and an upper basket for holding cups,said upper basket having a plurality of approximately radial arms formedto provide downwardly tapering acute notches near the inner ends of sucharms for receiving certain portions of the rims of inverted cups, acircumferential ring fixed to the outer ends of all of such arms tosupport other portions of the rims of such inverted cups, and other armsspaced between said notch forming arms for contacting with the outersurfaces of the side walls of the inverted cups.

7. A rack assembly for a dishwashing machine comprising a verticalrotary member having a lateral projection thereon, a sleeve mounted forvertical sliding movement on said rotary member and adapted to rest onsaid projection to be held thereby at a predetermined elevation, acircumferential ring spaced outwardly from and concentric with saidsleeve, a first series of generally radial arms spaced angularly fromeach other, each of such arms extending from said sleeve obliquelydownwardly and outwardly for a distance, thence approximately verticallyupwardly for a distance, thence approximately horizontally outwardly toand being secured to said circumferential ring, and a second series ofgenerally radial arms spaced angularly from each other and arrangedintermediate between the arms of the first series, each arm of thesecond series extending from said sleeve obliquely upwardly andoutwardly to a high point and thence obliquely downwardly and outwardlyto and being secured to said circumferential ring, said arms and saidring collectively forming supporting means for holding cups in aninverted washing position.

8. A rack assembly for a dishwashing machine comprising a stationaryvertical pivot rod, a tube rotatably mounted on said rod in surroundingrelation thereto, a socket in the upper end of said rod, a hardenedmetal sphere in said socket, a thrust bearing member rigidly secured tosaid tube near the upper end thereof and bearing downwardly on saidsphere to form a thrust bearing for supporting the weight of said tubeand parts carried thereby rotatably on said rod, two bearing sleevessecured within said tube and bearing radially and rotatably on said rod,one of said sleeves being near the upper end of said rod and the otherof said sleeves being near but above the lower end of said tube, saidtube having an internal diameter greater than the diameter of said rodso that said sleeves serve to space said tube laterally from said rod, abushing in the lower end of said tube below the lower one of saidsleeves, said bushing almost but not quite contacting with said rod totend to keep large volumes of water from rising within said tube toreach the lower one of said sleeves, and load carrying means mounted onand rotating with said tube for holding a load of tableware in positionto be washed.

9. A rack for a dishwashing machine comprising a central hub member, acircumferential ring spaced outwardly from and concentric with said hubmember, and a plurality of rods extending in a generally radialdirection from said hub member to said ring, certain of said rods eachbeing shaped to provide a deep downwardly extending notch for receivingthe rim of a cup placed in an inverted position on said rack, others ofsaid rods each being shaped to engage a portion of the outer surface ofthe side wall of a cup thus received in the notch of an adjacent rod, toresist upward movement of the inverted cup as a result of Waterimpinging upwardly against it.

10. A construction as defined in claim 9, in which said notch is nearthe inner end of the rod in which it is formed, and is so placed thatone point of the rim of an inverted cup is supported in the notch whiletwo other points of the rim rest on and are supported by saidcircumferential ring, and in which the side of side notch farther fromsaid hub member is sufficiently steep to prevent the engaged rim of acup from moving radially outwardly away from said hub member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,620,671 Merseles Mar. 15, 1927 1,807,493 Peters May 26, 1931 1,959,661Ellington May 22, 1934 2,062,704 Forsyth Dec. 1, 1936 2,702,558Blanchard Feb. 22, 1955 2,712,826 Schleyer July 12, 1955 2,971,652Getchell Feb. 14, 1961 3,060,946 Lantz Oct. 30, 1962

6. A RACK ASSEMBLY FOR A DISHWASHING MACHINE COMPRISING MEANS FORMING AVERTICAL PIVOT, AND A TABLEWARE CARRYING STRUCTURE MOUNTED FOR ROTATIONON SAID PIVOT, SAID STRUCTURE INCLUDING A LOWER BASKET FOR HOLDINGPLATES, TUMBLERS, AND FLATWARE AND AN UPPER BASKET FOR HOLDING CUPS,SAID UPPER BASKET HAVING A PLURALITY OF APPROXIMATELY RADIAL ARMS FORMEDTO PROVIDE DOWNWARDLY TAPERING ACUTE NOTCHES NEAR THE INNER ENDS OF SUCHARMS FOR RECEIVING CERTAIN PORTIONS OF THE RIMS OF INVERTED CUPS, ACIRCUMFERENTIAL RING FIXED TO THE OUTER ENDS OF ALL OF SUCH ARMS TOSUPPORT OTHER PORTIONS OF THE RIMS OF SUCH INVERTED CUPS, AND OTHER ARMSSPACED BETWEEN SAID NOTCH FORMING ARMS FOR CONTACTING WITH THE OUTERSURFACES OF THE SIDE WALLS OF THE INVERTED CUPS.